Basketball: Galatasaray Odeabank win Turkish playoffs

Team ends 14-year-break by defeating archrivals Fenerbahce in the fifth match of series

ISTANBUL - Galatasaray Odeabank have won the playoffs in the Turkish women's basketball league by defeating archrivals Fenerbahce 73-54 in the last match of the series.

Galatasaray Odeabank did not lose the lead during the whole game at their home court, Abdi Ipekci Sports Hall, on Monday and clinched the season's title.

Fenerbahce became the runners-up after making 20 turnovers during the clash.

Galatasaray Odeabank prevented Fenerbahce from dictating the tempo and narrowed the gap, eventually vanquishing Fenerbahce by 19 points to win the 2013-2014 series.

Through the buzzer of the fourth quarter, Fenerbahce's 25-year-old US center Kuanitra Holingsvorth elbowed Galatasaray Odeabank's Spanish forward Sancho Lyttle after grabbing a defensive rebound, in an unsportsmanlike foul.

- Double digits

Lions' Spanish guard Alba Torrens was the top scorer of the match with 21 points.

Torrens was followed by Turkish forward Nevriye Yilmaz scoring 15 points and Lyttle making a "double-double" by completing the game with 13 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

In away team Fenerbahce, U.S. player Cappie Pondexter was the only player reaching the double digits in respect of points scored, finishing the game with 12 points.

In addition, her fellow citizen Holingsvorth scored 9 points and had 13 rebounds while French center Isabelle Yacoubou contributed to her team with 8 points and 8 rebounds.

- Tensions ignite

Galatasaray Odeabank, who defeated their archrivals Fenerbahce in the women's Euroleague final, having played in Russia in April, manage to topple Fenerbahce once again and won the Turkish league after a 14-year-break and terminated their archrivals' eight-year-reign in Turkey.

After the match, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Minister of Youth and Sports Akif Cagatay Kilic congratulated the winning team and its administrative staff upon their success.

In addition, tensions which had ignited before the match increased during half time.

There were many reactions from the home team fans against Fenerbahce's directors, who were not allowed to access the protocol stand due to security reasons.

One fan also punched Fenerbahce's secretary general and spokesman Mahmut Uslu.